32 Comments

General CommentOn an interview this is what she said about the song 'I Follow Rivers'...
"It's about lust and obsession and infatuation. Infatuation is something very different from love, it's a craving, it's very animalisitic so it's about you crave something weither its drugs or it's this love that is really bad for you, it's gonna hurt you but you still want to go there so it's like 'i'll follow you wherever you may take me' and it's a very dark, doom place.. you know it's like a river, like you can't hold back once you jump in."

There is a version of the song were she sings a new line: '
Never break like I break mine',
(Youtube: 'Rekorder: Lykke Li singt: I Follow Rivers': 2:44)
So it seems like she doesn't want the other or the infatuation to break, but she breaks herself / own river.

The song is a generic opinion on what it means to be in a relationship.
In life one or the other person of a couple will often have to follow his own path, and the other's mission is then to support them and "follow them" however they can. That could be about just anything, including jobs, phycological issues, aspirations, life long dreams of a person... etc.

In the video the woman follows along for the ride as her man pursues a matter personal and very important to him (doesnt matter what exactly, but it represents his liberation from problems or limitations as shown by the dangerous but infinitely free sea on the background).

Also in the video the man fails to succeed in his endeavour but then thats what the meaning of their relationship is: the woman followed and is now able to soothe him. But at the last few seconds we see the woman looking intently at the sea: this either means that her own personal voyage will now start (and the roles will be reversed) or depending on how you interpret it she decides to tackle the unsaid obstacle only this time together with her mate.

Either way we don't have to make it more concrete and specific than that. I think the video is about feelings of trust and loyalty, and altruism that a relationship should be about - not just a story represented metaphorically.

I agree wholeheartedly with you, Kinnison. The most important message this song tries to get through is the dedication one person should have for another in a relationship. This song is basically about being there for the person you care about.

As for the video, I believe it's open to interpretation. Like Kinnison said, the fact that the woman looks at the sea in the end could mean that now she's going to go through an ordeal herself or together with her partner, but I also perceived it in another way.

Overall, my first impression of the video was that he's spiraling down emotionally. Something happened to him or he's going through something that's causing him to grow more and more upset meanwhile she, his lover in this case, is keeping track of him. At all times she's aware of what he's doing and how he's handling things.

The part when she starts running after him, I feel that's when she noticed he was weakening in his situation. The fact that he doesn't stop could should that for one reason or another he doesn't want her or anybody else's help. When she does get to him, he breaks down and he opens up to her, revealing how vulnerable he always felt. She's there to console him and THAT fact in itself is what the song is really about. "No matter where you go, I'll always be with you" or like another lovely song claims "I will follow you into the dark".

General Commentthis song is absolutely stunning. the video is equally as beautiful and reveals a bit more about li's intent: youtube.com/…. make sure to watch it to the very end. while at first i thought this was a gorgeous, simple love song, i might be wrong. the video makes me question the bit about "not your money"

Lyric CorrectionThe song is amazing I love it but these are the correct lyrics:

Oh I beg you, can I follow
Oh I ask you, want to always
Be the ocean, where I unravel
Be my only, be the water where I'm wading
You're my river running high, run deep and run wild

I, I follow, I follow you, deep sea baby
I follow you
I, I follow, I follow you, dark doom honey
I follow you

He a message, I'm the runner
He's the rebel, I'm the daughter waiting for you
You're my river running high, run deep and run wild

I, I follow, I follow you, deep sea baby
I follow you
I, I follow, I follow you, dark doom honey
I follow you

You're my river running high, run deep and run wild

I, I follow, I follow you, deep sea baby
I follow you
I, I follow, I follow you, dark doom honey
I follow you
I, I follow, I follow you, deep sea baby
I follow you
I, I follow, I follow you, dark doom honey
I follow you

General CommentAs I see it, watching the video... He is moving through tough life, not interested in her, who is begging to be with him. He is running for his freedom, but from time to time when he turn around, she is still there. She is persistent and she want to be around him through every difficulty that life carries. He is scared that he is running out of freedom, so he tries to escape. But her persistence win, and he capitulate...
She still saying to him that everything is going to be alright, and her final look camera says that persistence pays off.

My InterpretationPowerful song. The video clip has so much imagery too. My heart almost breaks when we see the man she's chasing just stop, look at her with sorrowful eyes, and fall to his knees.

Although going on from what Lykke has said about the song, it's almost like he's running because he doesn't want her to get involved with him, because he's not good for her and he knows it. But in the end, he breaks down and gives into her because secretly, he craves her too. He wants her too much, and his want/animalistic need for her overrides all logical thought that he's bad for her. If that makes any sense at all. That's just my two cents.

I also love the part where she says "deep sea baby". It just makes me think of a really deep, personal connection between two people, or perhaps it's a metaphor for falling into the deep sea of lust/love, nearly impossible to get out of. Very intense. Actually "intense" is a good way to describe this song.

General CommentI recently heard this in the very incredible film Blue Is The Warmest Colour. I think this song fits the film perfectly. Obsessive love can be intoxicating and ultimately, quite destructive. Beautiful.

My InterpretationI interpret as her pursuing a lover persistently, because she needs his strength. Him being a river's tide is helping travel through life. She wants to be with him so she can live fully, not being held back by fear and loneliness.

She wants him to also be the ocean, to be part of her world so she can deal with pain and tragedy by holding onto him. Looking at the ocean at the end of the video symbolizes her looking with fear at what is to come, while holding on to her lover to stay strong.

The lover is apprehensive about letting her follow. Likely for several reasons. He does not want to rely on her (or possibly anyone else) to survive. He wants to be self-sufficient. He probably also is not sure about committing to the relationship, even if he loved her deeply before (and was possibly left hurt/scarred) .

In the end, in the music video, he gives in to her, allowing himself to be comforted by her again, to let her be comforted by him. She is drinking his tears, symbolizing she is trying to soak up his pain to strengthen their bond. When they then kiss deeply, she becomes calm, as she has come to use sex partly as a way to keep men close to her. She has the sense of ownership over him, again.

General CommentIn my interpretation she is will be guided by him, she only follows him, meaning she has no right, thatÂ´s why she is dressed in black, her body and soul belongs to him and only him can see her completely, he is her religion.